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Many retailers will again get a jump on the Black Friday holiday-sales launch by being open on Thanksgiving.

J.C. Penney is launching its Black Friday deals at 3 p.m., Thanksgiving - two hours earlier than last year and well before the 6 p.m., openings of other department store competitors -- Macy's, Kohl's, and Sears.

Wal-Mart and Target both plan to launch their Black Friday deals online Thanksgiving Day -- long before the deals are available in their stores at 6 p.m. Target plans to offer some Black Friday deals over a 10-day period from Nov. 22 through Dec. 1, the retailer announced recently.

While thousands of people line up at stores for the Thanksgiving openings, Black Friday continues to be one of the busiest shopping days of the year. More than 87 million people shopped on Black Friday last year, the National Retail Federation reported.

A survey by the International Council of Shopping Centers found 41 percent of consumers planned to shop on Black Friday this year. Most chain stores open very early Friday.

Customer demand prompted Penney's to open earlier on Thanksgiving, reported Kate Coultas, a spokeswoman for the chain based in the Dallas area.

“We make every effort to staff Thanksgiving with associates who volunteer to work that day.”

Kate Coultas, J.C. Penny's spokeswoman said in an email

"We make every effort to staff Thanksgiving with associates who volunteer to work that day," Coultas said in an email.

Hip Swedish clothing retailer H&M, with two El Paso stores, is going in a different direction. It announced recently that it won't open its stores on Thanksgiving as it had in the past.

H&M joins a list of retailers who have bucked the growing Thanksgiving opening trend. Nordstrom, T.J. Maxx, Barnes and Noble, Burlington Coat Factory, Sam's Club, Costco, and Home Depot are among retailers closed Thanksgiving, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Most stores on South El Paso and Stanton streets in Downtown El Paso are open on Thanksgiving Day. That's a long tradition prompted by its biggest customers -- shoppers from Mexico where Thursday is a regular work day.

The Outlet Shoppes at El Paso will hold its annual Black Friday launch beginning at 8 p.m., Thanksgiving -- two hours earlier than last year. It will have carolers, horse and carriage rides, and a disc jockey playing music, officials at the 95-store West Side mall reported. Thousands of shoppers have attended the event in past years.

Vic Kolenc may be reached at vkolenc@elpasotimes.com; 546-6421; @vickolenc on Twitter.

Most stores on South El Paso and Stanton streets in Downtown El Paso open during Thanksgiving Day.

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Cielo Vista Mall had its Christmas decorations up in the first week of November as many consumers report they are shopping earlier and longer for holiday gifts. This was the scene last week, just before the big Black Friday weekend rush.(Photo: RUDY GUTIERREZ / EL PASO TIMES)